Whipping under civil law remains — Hanipa

KUALA LUMPU R: T he government wil l not abolish whipping under the civil law as there is still a need for this punishment for serious offences including violent crimes.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said the whipping punishment, however, could be commuted by the court based on considerations such being detrimental to the offender.

“So far, there is no decision by the government to abolish whipping as this punishment has been around in our country for so long, though I admit there is a deterrent effect. We may have different views on it as this punishment is painful but it is universally accepted, and it is within the religious scope and outside it.

“Besides, the existing law requires a medical officer to be present when the whipping is carried out and the offender still has a chance for this punishment be commuted ( by the court). That is why to me, the government feels the whipping punishment is still required.” He said this in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday in reply to a supplementary question from Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid ( PHKapar) on the government’s views on doing away with whipping altogether and be replaced with a longer jail term, which was seen as more beneficial in making the offenders remorseful.

“Nevertheless, the government is always open to suitable views from the public on abolishing whipping,” Mohamed Hanipa said.

To the original question from Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz (PAS-Bachok) on whether the government intended to review the whipping punishment, seen as inhumane, he said the government was still implementing it but to a lesser degree compared to previously.

He added that the cat- o- ninetails method of whipping was done away with since 1993 as it caused the wounds to spread to other parts of the body.

Meanwhile, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin told the Dewan that her ministry is confident of achieving its target to build one million affordable houses in 10 years, with 100,000 units a year, as promised in the Pakatan Harapan ( PH) manifesto in the last general election.

Zuraida said this was based on the allocation that was set aside for the purpose and looking at the progress of housing projects that were being built as a result of the cooperation between the state government and the private sector.

“In fact we are also working on building a big data system that can get an overview and projection on housing need of Malaysia because with a more accurate projection, we can determine the future housing needs more accurately.”